LAS VEGAS -- The NHL suspended Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden for two games without pay for an "illegal check to the head" of Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev on Tuesday night.

Howden will lose nearly $20,000 in pay, and that money will go to the players' emergency assistance fund.

In the video explaining the reasoning behind the suspension, the NHL said Howden made Tanev's head the primary target and that the hit was "avoidable." The league also made the point of saying this was the first offense in Howden's 280-game career.

Howden was given a match penalty for the hit, which occurred six minutes into the third period of the Knights' season-opening 4-1 victory.

Vegas opened the night by raising its Stanley Cup championship banner to the rafters.